GAME OF THRONES’ Kit Harrington and THE KILLING Star Joel Kinnaman Frontrunners for ARTHUR & LANCELOT

Director David Dobkin (The Change-Up) is nailing down the cast for his period King Arthur project Arthur & Lancelot, and it looks like he’s closing on his leads. Game of Thrones star Kit Harrington and The Killing’s Joel Kinnaman have emerged as the frontrunners to take on the lead roles, per Heat Vision. When Dobkin sat down with Steve earlier this year, he talked about how he went back to the legend and pulled it apart for his PG-13 iteration, saying “I kept certain characters, I recreated the entire launch of the legend and why it starts the way that it starts.” Though plot details are under wraps, Dobkin did tease that the film is “wrapped around the birth of democracy as a concept and it’s positing Arthur as the first man to say all men are created equal.” Hit the jump for more, including what other actors tested for the roles.

Dobkin and Warner Bros. apparently tested quite a few actors for the lead roles, including Sam Clafin, Dominic Cooper, Jim Sturgess, Hans Matheson, Ben Walker, and Liam Hemsworth. I think Harrington and Kinnaman are fine choices. They both do great work on their respective TV series (if you haven’t watched HBO’s Game of Thrones you are sorely missing out), and the film could serve as a launching pad for their careers. It’s unknown if Harrington and Kinnaman tested for both roles or if they went for specific parts. Additionally, we don’t know which parts they’re being considered for (though Harrington seems to have the boyish quality necessary for Arthur). Neither actor has been offered a part yet, but we should hear a final decision soon. Arthur & Lancelot is slated to open March 15th, 2013.